Electrically heating foodstuffs



I Aug. 2.7, 1940. B. sALlNsKi 2,212,794

LECTRI CALLY HEATING FOODVSTUFFS 'Filed Jan. 27, 1939 Patented Aug. 27, 1940A nLEc'rnIcALLY HEATING Foons'rUFFs Bruno Salinski, Berlin-Neukolln, Germany Application K 6 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for heating solid foodstuffs, more particularly small sausages, by passing an electric current directly through them. In the apparatus for heating solid foodstuffs,

more. particularly small sausages, by electrical means, by passing a -current directly through them, the foodstuis are according to the invention placed loose in an open vessel of water in l() their .longitudinal direction, and held between electrodes, which are arranged. in contact with their ends, and one of which is xed in the re' ceptacle, while the other is movable, and can be shifted under the action'ofv the expansion of the l5 foodstui that occurs when the latter is heated. Furthermore switching means for controlling the heating current on and ofl is provided, which can be interrupted by means of the movable electrode. With this apparatus it is possible to heat small sausages for example to a temperature ready for eating in an exceedingly short time, for instance about twelve to fifteen seconds. The expanding sausage or the like switches off the current, upon attaining the desired temperature, by means of the movable electrode, and it is possible, by means of this apparatus, to heat foodstuffs, such as sausages, quickly, cheaply and hygienically for immediate consumption.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 shows the apparatus as a whole in sectional elevation.

Figure 2 is a partial horizontal section. taken on the line'2-2 in Figure 1; and

container, above the level of the movable electrode, showing a modication of the apparatus represented in Figure 1.

0n a frame I I is arranged a guiding path I2 for a container I3 of tubular form, which in the example illustrated is adapted to contain small sausages. On the bottom of this container lies a xed electrode Il, which, when the container I3 is slid into the frame II, engages by means of a plug I5 in a socket I6, and thereby receives a supply of current from a conductor I1, which is connected to a switch I8. In a cover I9, which Vis secured to the frame II, a housing 20 is arranged, which may be vof U-shaped cross section, and in which is guided a rod 2|, which is attached to a movable electrode23, and is provided with a handle 22. thetop endsoi.' the sausages 24 placed in the-container I3. ed at 23 a hand lever 28, to which is pivoted at Figure 3 is a horizontal section through the- The movable electrode 23 bears upon In the housing 2l is pivotally mount-- Janum 27, 193s, serial No. 253,205 Germany Septemberv 25, 1936 21 a gripping lever 25, which embraces the rod 2I like a fork, as shown in Figure 2. 'Ihe gripping lever 25 leaves the rod 2|l free in the switched ofi position, but grips it rmly by means of inwardly projecting ledges 28 when the handle 6 28 is rocked to the right, as in Figure 1. In this position the handle 28 engages with al pin or roller 32 in a detent 3l, and is thereby held fast vin its locked position. The detent 3l is pivotally mounted at 30 on the housing 20, and extends l0 with a tappet 33 at a certain distance above the gripping lever 25. The hand lever 28 engages with a pin 36 in a fork 31 of the switch I8 of any convenient kind, for instance-a lever key switch.

When the hand lever '28 is rocked towards the 15 4right the 1ever key' switchA la is closed, thereby closing a circuit through the electrodes, this circuitlleaving from the switch 'I8 through a conductor'l3 to the gripping lever 25, and fromthe latter through the rod'2I, the movableelectrode 23, the sausages 2l and the xed electrode Il, and back through the conductor I1 to the switch I8, which is connected to the mainsV by means of a flexible lead, not shown, equipped with a plug.

When thesausages 24 have become hot, they raise the electrode 23 and. the rod 2I. The latter moves the gripping lever 25 upwardly, which strikes against the tappet 33, and pushes the detent 3l away from the roller 32, so that the gripping lever 25 is moved into the left hand po- 30 sition under the action of a spring-M. At the same time the hand lever pushes the lever key1 switch I8 into the released position byv 'ineans of the fork 31, and the current is switched on.

To the switch I8 there may advantageously be 35 connected, as illustrated in Figurel 1, a glow lamp 39, which is switched on and o simultaneously with the heating current, thus indicating when the sausages are being heated. The lamp 39 may be surrounded by. a transparent tube 40, which 4o may be utilized for advertising purposes. The cover I9 is closed by a plate 4I.

In order to enable the lift of the electrode 23 to be adapted to different kinds of sausages, the height of the gripping lever 25 is made adjustable, 45 for instance by means of an eccentric 34, which can be moved by means of a handle 35 into two or more diierent positions. The travel of the electrode 23 thereby admits of being adjusted as required to an extent of several millimetres, so 50 thatwith sausages having a relatively thick and tough skin the movable electrode 23 need only execute a stroke of about two millimetres. In other cases the lift may be increased to four or more millimetres The container I3 admits of being designed for the simultaneous heating of 'a plurality of pairs of sausages by subdividing it, for instance by means of radial partitions 38, as indicated in Figure 3. The electrode 23 is then correspondingly slotted, as shown.

Since the electrodes I4 and 23 bear rmly against the foodstuff, and the electrical conductivity of vthe latter is better than that of the water bath, the heating is directly eiected inthe foodstui itself. The water bath is only heated by the heat transferred to it from the foodstuff, and thus becomes gradually hotter in the course of time, after which, when the apparatus receives a fresh charge of foodstuff, the latter is also heated by conduction from the water. Moreover the foodstuff is also moistened by the water, thus increasing its electrical conductivity, and also preventing sparking and burning at the points of contact between the electrodes and the foodstuff.

The receptacle I3 is of such dimensions that it encloses the foodstuff to be heated rather closely at the sides, and in this Way only permits it to expand in the longitudinal direction of the receptacle.

, After the current has been switched on, the foodstuff expands in consequence of the heating, and presses more or less strongly, according to the degree of. heat,against the upper electrode 23. This has the result that after the foodstuff has attained the desired temperature the upper electrode 23 is raised, and with it, in the manner hereinbefore described, the gripping lever 25 and the tappet 33 on the disconnecting lever, thus pushing the detent 3| away from the roller 32, and enabling the spring 44 to retract the handle 28, thereby throwing over the switch lever 31, and cutting oif the current.

The receptacle I3 admits of being readily removed laterally for cleaning, after drawing out the movable electrode 23. It may be so designedy as to accommodate one pair of sausages only or any convenient number of pairs. Alternatively a number of similar receptacles might be arranged side by side, arrangements being similarly made for the' simultaneous release of their electrodes. The cell or receptacle I3 is preferably lled with/water up to such a level that the sausages placed thereinare just immersed.

What I claim is;

1. Apparatus for electrically heating'or cooking foodstuffs comprising a frame, a receptacle adapted to Vcontain the foodstuffs supported by the frame, a xed electrode at one end of the receptacle, an electrode movable in the longitudinal direction of the receptacle near the other end of the latter, a rod carrying the movable electrode and guided longitudinally in the frame, an electric circuit including a source of current and the fixed electrode and the movable electrode and its rod, an electrically conducting lever adapted in one position to grip the movable electrode rod after switch controlling the circ t, an arm so mounted in the frame as to be r L by the lever when the latter is moved by the movable electrode rod as a result of the expansion of the foodstui` under the influence of heat, the arm being adapted when so rocked to withdraw the detent from the handle, thereby permitting the handle-shifting means to cause the lever to release the movable electrode rod, and a switch-actuating member so connected with the handle as to open the controlling switch when the handle is automatically shifted after being released from the detent.

2. Apparatus for heating or cooking solid foodstuffs as claimed in claim'l, further comprising an eccentric for varying the initial position of the lever, so as to Vary the travel of the movable electrode rod occurring before the lever actuates the arm.

3. Apparatus for heating or cooking sausages by passing electric current directly through them. comprising, a receptacle adapted to contain the sausages immersed in water, at least one vertical partition dividing the interior of the'receptacle into a plurality of intercommunicating compartments, each adapted to contain two sausages standing on end, a fixed electrode occupying substantially the whole area of the bottom of the receptacle, an electrode movable in a vertical direction in the upper portion of all the compartments, said vertical partition and the movable electrode both being slotted to allow the movable electrode to descend below the top of the partition, an electric circuit including a source of current and the two electrodes, the circuit being completed through the sausages in the receptacle with their lower ends resting on the fixed electrode when the movable electrode is lowered into contact with their upper ends, a switch controlling the circuit, and a switch-actuating member so connected with the movable electrode that when the movable electrode is displaced by the longitudinal expansion of the sausages under the influence of heat the switch is automatically opened.

4. In apparatus for heating sausage the combination of, a frame, a receptacle supported by the frame for receiving the sausage, a fixed electrode at one end of the receptacle' adapted to vbe engaged by one end of the sausage, a second electrode guided in said frame and movable longitudinally of the receptacle and adapted to be moved into engagement with the other end of the sausage.' an electric circuit for supplying current to said electrodes to heat the sausage whereby thev same expands and moves the second electrode away from the xed electrode, a switch in said circuit, and'means responsive to aepredetermined expansion of the sausage and a corresponding movement of the second electrode for opening said switch.

5. In apparatus for heating sausage the combination of, a frame, a receptacle supported by' the frame for'receiving the sausage, a xed electrode at one end of the receptacle adapted to be engaged by one end of the sausage, a second electrode guided in said frame and movable longitudinally of the receptacle and adapted to be moved into engagement with the other end of the sausage, an electric circuit for supplying current to said electrodes to heat the sausage whereby the same expands and moves the second electrode away from the fixed electrode, a switch in said circuit operably responsive to a predetermined expansion of the sausage and a corresponding movement of the second electrode for opening said switch. i

6. In apparatus for heating sausage the combination of. a frame, a receptacle supported by gitudinally of the receptacle and adapted to be moved' into engagement with the other end of the sausage, an electric circuit for supplying current 'to said electrodes to heat the sausage whereby the same expands and moves the second electrode away from the fixed electrode, and means oprably responsive to a predetermined longitudinal expansion of the sausage and a corresponding 5 'movement of the second electrode lor opening said circuit.

BRUNO ASAILIINSKI. 

